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Anthony Bourdain on Toronto

diminutive said:
Well, Banksy thinks we're boring too. Can't wait for this thread to jump over him as a cultureless hack who doesn't realize urban greatness when it's slapping him in the face!
Banksy says World Trade Center 'something they would build in Canada" -
(Yes, yes, he doesn't mention Toronto specifically, but as Canada's biggest city obviously we're a part of that comment.)
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Whatever.....cannot understand why this twit has everyone's knickers knotted up in a bunch. Frankly he has never designed a building that has been built so his comments are just that, un-informed opinions.
 
By that logic, all of our opinions on UT are un-informed, because none of us -- as far as I know -- have designed any buildings that have been built. Canada's architecture is terribly bland; for the most part. Sadly, if the new World Trade Center was built here, it would be one of our top pieces of highrise architecture.

Frank Gehry has expressed that Toronto's architecture isn't very good. Does he not know what he's talking about either?
 
One Nut Kruk said:
By that logic, all of our opinions on UT are un-informed, because none of us -- as far as I know -- have designed any buildings that have been built. Canada's architecture is terribly bland; for the most part. Sadly, if the new World Trade Center was built here, it would be one of our top pieces of highrise architecture.

Frank Gehry has expressed that Toronto's architecture isn't very good. Does he not know what he's talking about either?
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...and Toronto got itself a very tall tower (that was later beaten by a skyscraper by the Persian Gulf) and a stadium with a retractable roof (though the latter did not age gracefully).
 
One Nut Kruk said:
By that logic, all of our opinions on UT are un-informed, because none of us -- as far as I know -- have designed any buildings that have been built. Canada's architecture is terribly bland; for the most part. Sadly, if the new World Trade Center was built here, it would be one of our top pieces of highrise architecture.

Frank Gehry has expressed that Toronto's architecture isn't very good. Does he not know what he's talking about either?
Click to expand...

Canada has an excellent collection of architecture. Few countries have parliament buildings as beautiful as ours, skyscrapers by the likes of legends like Mies van der Rohe and IM Pei and a rich vernacular like the railway hotels and the Victorian buildings in Toronto and Montreal. The fact is that most countries' architecture is bland for the most part, but most countries have a collection of outstanding buildings. Canada's collection is a great one. It could be even better, but it's nothing to look down on.
 
One Nut Kruk said:
By that logic, all of our opinions on UT are un-informed, because none of us -- as far as I know -- have designed any buildings that have been built. Canada's architecture is terribly bland; for the most part. Sadly, if the new World Trade Center was built here, it would be one of our top pieces of highrise architecture.

Frank Gehry has expressed that Toronto's architecture isn't very good. Does he not know what he's talking about either?
Click to expand...

Right and he also said most cities around the world don't have good architecture, should we take his word as gospel?

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/1...banal-but-dont-worry-every-city-is-like-that/
 
I thought the program, in general, was quite flattering of Toronto. It was interesting to watch.

The description of the architecture seemed very shallow, but it's not really a big deal.
 
junctionist said:
Canada has an excellent collection of architecture. Few countries have parliament buildings as beautiful as ours, skyscrapers by the likes of legends like Mies van der Rohe and IM Pei and a rich vernacular like the railway hotels and the Victorian buildings in Toronto and Montreal. The fact is that most countries' architecture is bland for the most part, but most countries have a collection of outstanding buildings. Canada's collection is a great one. It could be even better, but it's nothing to look down on.
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I don't deny that Canada has beautiful architecture. I should have been more specific -- our more recent architecture (last 30-40 years), largely hasn't been very creative or attractive.

Adjei said:
Right and he also said most cities around the world don't have good architecture, should we take his word as gospel?

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/1...banal-but-dont-worry-every-city-is-like-that/
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I think those sentiments apply to Toronto. It's amazing how hard it is for Torontonians to admit that the city isn't very good looking.
 
Banksy said:
Street graffiti artist Banksy caused an uproar in the blogosphere on Monday when he wrote that the new World Trade Center is so bland, “it looks like something they would build in Canada.”
...
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^ That comment is so delightfully ignorant. How dare any of us simpletons question an armchair architect/graffiti artist. His opinion surely must outweigh everyone else's.

On a related note, I wonder if those who make hold such a high regard for the opinions of media icons are advocates of the monarchy. It seems fitting; don't question those who are "better" than you. :)

One Nut Kruk said:
Frank Gehry has expressed that Toronto's architecture isn't very good. Does he not know what he's talking about either?
Click to expand...

How about not taking what he said out of context? His exact phrase:
Frank Gehry said:
(Toronto's architecture is) "Mostly banal, like every city in the world."
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In that same interview, he also states that democracy is bad for architecture. I guess he must have a high opinion of the faux architecture in Dubai. :roll eyes:

Johnny Au said:
At least Anthony Bourdain did not visit Robarts Library!
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Actually, I would've loved to see his fans try to defend his complaints about Robarts ;)
 
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DtTO said:
I've probably seen more pictures of more cities on various forums than he has. Does that count? ;) What is a joke is to come to a city and have the opinion that it's ugly before even getting out of the car (something tells me he had that "opinion" long before he arrived here). Also, why are you acting as if his opinion is a fact? That mentality is a joke as well. Bourdain isn't everyone's deity.
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I'm not sure if you're serious, but seeing pictures and being there are apples and oranges. I think there's merit in the many who said that Bourdain has visited almost every major places in the world and thus his opinion does have carry weight due to his experiences.

I've travelled all over the world (not nearly to the extent of Bourdain) and, except the Gardiner, I don't agree Toronto is ugly by any stretch, but it is boring by most measures (e.g., energy, action, "buzz" appeal, etc.) compared to similar cities in Europe and Asia. Of the places I've visited, Toronto probably compares favorably with Melbourne, Australia.

I remember once I was in Hong Kong. Leaving HK airport at night, you can literally feel the buzz of the city, the ample energy, as you fly over it. It's not something real tangible, you just feel it. Then when we reached Toronto, the feeling was very different - it was calm, quiet... well, kind of boring. The contrast was quite evident.

It comes down to this... Toronto may be a boring place, but it's a great place to raise a family, relatively crime-free and there's the multi-cultural thing. It's safe and solid. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
 
I've said this many times in my life and I'll say it again: Toronto is only boring if you're boring....or an ultra-outdoorsman.
I'm not denying that there are places that are more frenetic, but Toronto is deffo not boring.
 
Also re: Banksy.
His commentary on architecture isa bit rich coming from a stencil ppirate; the less visually appealingcousin of true graff artists.
 
Tacoma said:
I'm not sure if you're serious, but seeing pictures and being there are apples and oranges. I think there's merit in the many who said that Bourdain has visited almost every major places in the world and thus his opinion does have carry weight due to his experiences.

I've travelled all over the world (not nearly to the extent of Bourdain) and, except the Gardiner, I don't agree Toronto is ugly by any stretch, but it is boring by most measures (e.g., energy, action, "buzz" appeal, etc.) compared to similar cities in Europe and Asia. Of the places I've visited, Toronto probably compares favorably with Melbourne, Australia.

I remember once I was in Hong Kong. Leaving HK airport at night, you can literally feel the buzz of the city, the ample energy, as you fly over it. It's not something real tangible, you just feel it. Then when we reached Toronto, the feeling was very different - it was calm, quiet... well, kind of boring. The contrast was quite evident.

It comes down to this... Toronto may be a boring place, but it's a great place to raise a family, relatively crime-free and there's the multi-cultural thing. It's safe and solid. Absolutely nothing wrong with that.
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HA!

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/08/28/travel/melbourne-most-livable-city/

Looks like you and the world experts came to the same conclusion. :)
 
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